# How old do you have to be to work at Hy-Vee?

You can work at Hy-Vee from age 14 at some locations, but most locations hire at 16. State law can raise the age.

Hy-Vee doesn't publish an official minimum age. Reporting says it generally hires at 16, but because stores are run individually, some hire teens as young as 14 (a 2026 Des Moines guide lists Hy-Vee as 14+). We found no Hy-Vee posting stating an age, so ask your local store.

- Minimum age: 14
- Most locations: 16
- Franchised: no
- Pay: $11.13–$18.75/hour (Courtesy clerk postings: about $11.13-$14 in Austin, MN and $15-$18.75 in Galesburg, IL; varies by state minimum wage)
- Confidence: Mixed reports
- Checked: 2026-10-10

## By job

- Courtesy clerk (bagger, carryout, carts): null+ (Some stores hire at 14, others at 16; not stated in postings we found)

## By state (youngest possible age)

| State | Age | Work permit |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 14 | needed |
| Alaska | 14 | needed |
| Arizona | 14 | no |
| Arkansas | 14 | no |
| California | 14 | needed |
| Colorado | 14 | no |
| Connecticut | 16 | needed |
| Delaware | 14 | needed |
| District of Columbia | 14 | needed |
| Florida | 14 | no |
| Georgia | 14 | needed |
| Hawaii | 14 | needed |
| Idaho | 14 | no |
| Illinois | 14 | needed |
| Indiana | 14 | no |
| Iowa | 14 | no |
| Kansas | 14 | no |
| Kentucky | 14 | no |
| Louisiana | 14 | needed |
| Maine | 14 | needed |
| Maryland | 14 | needed |
| Massachusetts | 14 | needed |
| Michigan | 14 | needed |
| Minnesota | 14 | no |
| Mississippi | 14 | no |
| Missouri | 14 | needed |
| Montana | 14 | no |
| Nebraska | 14 | needed |
| Nevada | 14 | no |
| New Hampshire | 14 | needed |
| New Jersey | 14 | needed |
| New Mexico | 14 | needed |
| New York | 14 | needed |
| North Carolina | 14 | needed |
| North Dakota | 14 | needed |
| Ohio | 14 | needed |
| Oklahoma | 14 | needed |
| Oregon | 14 | no |
| Pennsylvania | 14 | needed |
| Rhode Island | 14 | needed |
| South Carolina | 14 | no |
| South Dakota | 14 | no |
| Tennessee | 14 | no |
| Texas | 14 | no |
| Utah | 14 | no |
| Vermont | 14 | no |
| Virginia | 14 | needed |
| Washington | 14 | needed |
| West Virginia | 14 | needed |
| Wisconsin | 14 | needed |
| Wyoming | 14 | no |

## Questions

**How old do you have to be to work at Hy-Vee?**
You can work at Hy-Vee from age 14 at some locations, but most locations hire at 16. State law can raise the age.

**Does Hy-Vee hire 14-year-olds?**
Some Hy-Vee stores do. Reporting says Hy-Vee generally hires at 16, but each store makes its own hiring choices, and some take teens as young as 14. A 2026 Des Moines teen-jobs guide lists Hy-Vee as 14+. Ask the store you want to work at.

**What job can a teenager do at Hy-Vee?**
The usual first job is courtesy clerk: bagging groceries, helping customers take orders to their cars, collecting carts and keeping the store clean. Jobs using knives, slicers or fryers are typically for older workers.

**How much does Hy-Vee pay courtesy clerks?**
Recent courtesy clerk postings showed about $11-$14 an hour in Austin, Minnesota and $15-$18.75 in Galesburg, Illinois. Pay depends on the store and the state's minimum wage.

**How many hours can a 14- or 15-year-old work at Hy-Vee?**
Federal law allows 14- and 15-year-olds up to 3 hours on a school day and 18 hours in a school week (8 a day and 40 a week when school is out), never during school hours. Iowa and other Hy-Vee states can add their own limits.

## Sources

- These companies hire 14- and 15-year-olds (Scripps News / Simplemost): https://scrippsnews.com/stories/these-22-companies-hire-14--and-15-year-olds-1/
- Teen Jobs in Des Moines, Iowa (Des Moines Parent, Erin Huiatt): https://desmoinesparent.com/teen-jobs-in-des-moines-iowa/
- Hy-Vee Le Mars store event listing: https://www.hy-vee.com/stores/calendar/detail.aspx?m=2&y=2013&event=51492&s=87
- Courtesy Clerk - Hy-Vee Food Stores, Galesburg, IL: https://illinoisjoblink.illinois.gov/jobs/12089172
- Courtesy Clerk - Hy-Vee, Austin, MN: https://swooped.co/job-postings/courtesy-clerk-austin-hy-vee-inc-52056

Page: https://hiringage.com/hy-vee/ — please cite with a link.